The battle of the phoenix
by middeneaht
Summary: Strange things start to happen for Arthur after 'the blooded battle of rights'. First Merlin disappears then a strange bird appears and then Merlin turns out to be a warlock! Could things Get any stranger? My first Merlin fanfic. Please R&R. I don't own.
1. War, Birds and Warlocks?

"What do we do Gaius?"

"I don't know Merlin, at this rate Camelot will be gone by sunset tomorrow..."

Merlin paused looking at the room around him "I will stop this war Gaius" with that he ran out the room leaving a confused Gaius behind him.

Getting out of Camelot wasn't hard. It was just getting away from all the guards that caused the problem, they were everywhere. But that really wasn't surprising seeing as Camelot was at war. Pulling up his hood Merlin ran into the woods ahead of him. "DRAGON!" Merlin yelled towards the sky, a couple of minutes passed before the great dragon appeared "want do you need, young warlock?" "Please... I... Camelot needs your help" Merlin gasped, the dragon looked down at Merlin a small smirk appeared on his face "Camelot is at war, there is no hope left!" The dragon chuckled "Yet there is still a way" Merlin's heart skipped a beat "What is it?" The dragon paused "your true destiny is beginning... Emrys, your true name, shall become known... but first, you have to trust me" Merlin nodded his head "good... To free Camelot a life must be given... Your life..."

People were tossed against walls, blood spraying the walls.

Arthur and his knights were trying their best to stop the bloodshed, though it was hard when battling the magical kind. Suddenly every magical being froze, their eyes looking towards the sky, Camelot's knights too froze as they were not expecting this. Arthur took this to his advantage, steadying his sword in his hand he started running to the nearest sorcerer; he was in range when a commanding voice yelled "STOP!" Arthur turned around and saw a large bird that seemed like it was on fire. The bird looked around the battle field a calm glow surrounding it "this battle is unnecessary" the bird said in a clam yet fierce voice "too much innocent lives have been lost, you, the magical kind," it said pointing towards the group of sorcerers, by now the sorcerers and the knights of Camelot had split into two groups one standing on the left, one on the right, a group of peasants who were caught in the battle stood in the middle of the two groups. "You seek revenge on Uther for banning magic and killing your kind, I understand that BUT killing innocent people is uncalled for!" It turned to look at the knights "and you, knights of Camelot, you said you would protect your people, look around, your people do not look protected to me." The Bird was right, the men, women and children who stood in the middle of the two groups all had a cut of some sort, some more severe than others, but never the less there was still a lot of blood. "Prince Arthur, you have been too busy fighting to notice that you are missing someone..." The prince was shocked "I am not missing anyone; all my knights are here, Gaius is inside and Merlin is..." he looked around, truth dawned on him like a bang to the head, Merlin was missing. "No..." "Don't worry, the boy may be... let's just say getting up to his usual stuff..." Arthur's eyes widened in fear "But he is fine, he may be missing for a few... months... Or probably years but he is fine." "Wait just who and what are you anyway?" The bird chuckled "I am a phoenix" "at the moment" he added quietly, so quietly Arthur could have sworn no one else had heard "and my name..." He paused "I have been known as Emrys." The group of sorcerers gasped and all bowed their heads slightly "now, now, no need to act so formal, now go and don't you dare come back... unless it is NOT for war purposes" the sorcerers turned to leave "oh and if anyone in Camelot tries to stop these people from leaving... let's just say they won't even have time to say 'help'" with that Emrys flew off into the night sky, a trail of embers following the bird before vanishing completely.

1 year later

The hole of Camelot was silent it had been a year since 'the blooded battle of rights' as it had been called; the hole of Camelot had become silent to honour the lives that had been lost. The bells chimed signalling the end of the silence and everyone got back to their normal business.

Arthur made his way to Gaius' chambers, no one had decided to find anything out about the phoenix Emrys, so after a year he decided to try and find anything out about the bird, it might lead to Merlin's whereabouts or why he had vanished. After a year Merlin had not yet returned and Arthur was starting to worry, he was going to, after finding some information about Emrys, go out and search for him, even if it took him years he would find him. Not bothering to knock Arthur barged into Gaius' chambers, Gaius looked up from his work "Sire" "I need any information you have on Emrys" Gaius grinned grabbing the closest book to him "thought you'd never ask sire" Gaius opened the book "Emrys is a powerful warlock who, according to the druid legends, is going to bring back magic to Camelot." "Gaius I'm going to look for Merlin, tell my dad I've gone... hunting!" Arthur ran out the room.

It had been a week since Arthur had left to go and look for Merlin and so far there had been no sign of anyone let alone Merlin. Arthur sighed and sat down, he was about to set up a camp fire for the night when a shout came from behind him, turning around he was greeted by a nock in the face and then he blanked out.

"Sire... Sire wake up!" That was the first thing Arthur heard when he started to wake. Arthur was a bit annoyed with being knocked out so he decided to worry the person more and pretend to be asleep still. "I know that your awake, so would you please get up your royal prattness!" Arthur froze there was only one person who called him that, instantly his eyes shot open and there, like he had predicted, was Merlin. "Merlin!" He shouted standing up to give Merlin hug, it was then that he noticed that Merlin was bleeding terribly and had multiple cuts all over is body. "Merlin what on Earth has happened to you!" Merlin shrugged "nothing, I'm fine" Arthur looked at Merlin "Merlin you're a terrible liar and your covered in blood, that's a big giveaway that you're not alright" Merlin sighed "You're not going to give this up are you?" Arthur shook his head "fine... I, err, got into a bit of trouble and now I have multiple people chasing after me!"

"Merlin what did you do this time!"

"I can't say"

"Tell me or else Merlin!"

"Oh so your threatening me now!"

"Merlin..."

"Pratt..."

"Merlin, if you do not tell me what you did, I will banish you from Camelot!"

Merlin froze for a few seconds "You wouldn't do that"

Arthur smiled "yes I would!"

Merlin sighed "Fine, but promise me you will not kill me or harm me or even touch me ok!" Arthur nodded his head "oh and please don't think any different of me!" "Why would I thi-" "I'm a warlock!"


	2. Truth will out Well most of it!

**Seconds Chapter of The battle of the Phoenix. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! So here's chapter 2- Truth will out... well most of it**

"I'm a warlock!"

Arthur froze that sentence hung in the air like a foul odour.

"No Merlin, you can't be a W-warlock"

"I'm sorry sire, I was born with magic I can't help it just I you can't help being..." He stopped mid-sentence as some shouts came from the bush "follow me Arthur" Merlin said grabbing Arthur's arm and running off in the opposite direction.

Merlin dragged Arthur all the way to hidden cave near the end of the forest.

"Where are we?" Arthur asked brushing himself off, Merlin just simply beckoned Arthur to the back of the cave and placed his hand on the wall. He muttered something that Arthur could not understand and the wall in which he place his hand on moved reviling a room in which people could easily and by the looks of things had been living in.

"Merlin if you do not-" Arthur was silenced by Merlin "Arthur if you do not shut your mouth Luna will defiantly... harm you"

"Who's Lu-" Suddenly a white blur came forth and knocked Merlin to the ground "that's Luna" came Merlin's muffled reply. The bird that was on top of Merlin looked similar to a phoenix but it was white and a light, almost creamy, grey.

Merlin gently nudged the bird of him and turned to face Arthur "this is where I have been living for the past year and this is... Luna can you change back?" Merlin turned to face Luna, who nodded and suddenly glowed. When the glowing stopped in the birds place stood a human girl, who looked the same as Merlin, only more feminine, and had long black hair and sapphire blue eyes.

"Arthur this is... Princess Luna"

"Princess!" Arthur screeched "Merlin why is there a princess who can change into a bird-" "spiritu" "whatever, standing next to you?"

Merlin closed his eyes "uhh, she" "He saved my life and I guess I've liked him ever since" interrupted Luna her voice like silk

"Wow Merlin is that what you've been up to for the past year, staying in this cave with some run away princess and you haven't even considered that your friends back home miss you and worry about you! That is the most selfish thing I've seen Merlin and I've seen allot of things!" Arthur shouted

"Arthur I-"

"No Merlin, I thought you were kind but I guess I'm wrong, now if you'll excuse me I will go now"

"Arthur-"

"Save it"

"Arthur!"

"Merlin if you want to beg for forgiveness don't even bother it won't-"

"ARTHUR I HAVE NOT JUST BEEN LAZING AROUND THIS CAVE FOR A YEAR, I WAS TORTURED, MADE A SLAVE AGAINST MY WILL, TORTURED SOME MORE. ONLY TWO MOUNTHS AGO I GOT OUT BARLEY ALIVE, LUNA EVEN SACRIFICED HER PLACE IN HER KINGDOM TO HELP ME. I DID ALL THAT TO GET BACK HOME, NO SORRY, I MEAN, FOR YOU TO SHOUT AT ME AND ACCUSE ME OF BEING SELFISH!" Arthur was shocked at Merlin's outburst "and I thought you were my friend and that you trusted me..." He turned and ran out the cave.

"He really did all that to get home?"

Luna nodded "he always used to talk about Camelot and its Pratt prince" she giggled "come on lets go find him and get you back to Camelot."

Arthur and Luna found Merlin sitting on the edge of a lake, his feet dangling in. Arthur walked up to him "I'm sorry Merlin, I was just so glad to see you when you said about living in that cave for the year, well I just, I'm sorry." Merlin turned around "I know, I shouldn't have shouted at you, friends" he got up and reached out his hand "friends" Arthur agreed shaking Merlin's.

"Now Arthur Luna's going take you back to Camelot"

"Are you not coming?"

"I will in a bit I just need to sort something out" he nodded at Luna who transformed back into a spiritu, Merlin walked the other way.

"Come on Arthur" Luna sighed picking Arthur up in her talons and flying towards Camelot.

Half way there, Luna and Arthur were joined by a red-shouldered hawk.

"Nice to see you... Blaze" greeted Luna

"Who?" Arthur questioned looked from Luna to 'Blaze' who Arthur could have sworn rolled his eyes.

'I'm a friend' came the answer, Arthur was shocked because one, Blaze's voice sounded familiar and two, the hawk was talking in his head! "What the, how did you do that?" 'Do what?' "That, talk in my head!" The hawk sighed 'no time for an explanation, I came to tell you that Merlin had arrived and was waiting for you just outside Camelot' with that he flew off.

As Arthur and Luna arrived at Camelot it was not what they were expecting screams rung everywhere and fire lit the skies.

"What happened?" Luna asked turning back to a human

"I-I don't know"

"Sire!" Arthur turned to see Gaius, Gwen and Morgana running towards him.

"What has happened?"

"We don't know, one moment everything was calm, the next this!" Morgana exclaimed "We managed to escape but everyone else... We don't know, oh and who's that?" Gaius said looking at Luna "This is Luna she's Merlin's friend" at that moment Gwen rushed forward "Where is he, when I find him I'm going to-" she was cut off by a laugh that came from the other side of the clearing and man covered in a cloak stepped out of the shadows "you don't need to worry about that boy anymore, I have taken care of him" he chucked a body into the clearing, the body's was Merlin's. "Now that I have got my revenge on this little pesk I will leave Camelot... Goodbye!" He vanished.

The group rushed into Gaius' chambers, Arthur put Merlin down on the bed.

Gaius got to work on Merlin. After about an hour Gaius stopped looking over Merlin "he was poisoned and some time earlier he lost a lot of blood, so he was extremely week that means his body was too weak to fight the poison, he's going to die."

There was a mix of emotions all at the same time, sadness, shock and even anger. Suddenly a voice boomed across the room "sing the song, sing the song" immediately Luna got up and walked up to Merlin's bed and whispered something and everyone apart from her fell asleep.

"There's a word that would hurt  
I can feel on your lips"  
Arthur woke to the sound of someone singing it sounded heavenly. Carefully he opened his eyes and looked over to see Luna leaning over Merlin.

"Like a gun to my heart  
When all that I want is a kiss"

Slowly Arthur got up and walked over to Luna who stopped singing and turned around "he is going to be ok" "What were you singing?" "It was a song my mum used to sing for me, Merlin was having terrible nightmares, so I sang for him." At that moment there was a couple of groans as the others started to wake up. "So" said Morgana standing up "Merlin is going to be ok now" it wasn't a question. Gaius was shocked "How?" "I'm magic, it took quite a while but I managed to do it, there might be one side effect though" "What is it?" Gaius questioned "golden eyes for about-" "Luna..." The group spun around to see Merlin stirring, she rushed over "Merlin, wake up!" Slowly Merlin's eyes opened. "Merlin?" Gaius, Gwen and Morgana called, Merlin turned to face them a small smile crept across his face but he said nothing. Worry crept across Luna's face "Merlin what's wrong?" Merlin said nothing but still looked at Gaius, Gwen and Morgana. It was then the group noticed Merlin's once blue eyes had now turned gold, but they didn't care, they were more worried as to why Merlin wasn't saying anything.

"Merlin say something!" Luna cried, Merlin just looked at her "oh my god, you can't talk can you?" Merlin shook his head, everyone in the room gasped. Suddenly Merlin shot up from bed, looked at the confused group around him and ran out the room the group followed after him.


	3. Authors note

Authors note

Hey. I have decided to "temporarily" discontinue 'The battle of the phoenix'. I can't find anywhere to go with this story and I just can't bring myself to carry on writing it.

Though after I've finished writing se heolstor I may consider continuing writing it but I might re-write it. If anyone wants to adopt the story feel free just PM me first. Sorry to all those who have enjoyed the story. I hope you understand.

Middeneaht.


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